Receptacle for dish-mop, cleaning brush and any handle-carrying articles



E. SERGENT RECEPTACLE FOR DISH-MOP, CLEANING BRUSH AND ANYHANDLE-CARRYING ARTICLES Filed Jan. 14, 1954 Aug. 7, 1956 mvEriToREUGENE SERssr/r BY RECEPTA'CLE FOR DISH-MOP, CLEANING BRUSH AND ANYHANDLE-CARRYING ARTICLES Eugene-Sergeant, Paris, France ApplicationJanuary 14, 1954, Serial-N0. 403,980 Claims priority, application FranceJanuary 26, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-1) This invention relates to areceptacle intended to receive a dish-mop, cleaning brush, small broomor any other article provided with a handle or stick, and to hold thisarticle enclosed in a case adapted to close automatically when thearticle is stowed therein and to open automatically when the handle ofthe article is lifted for removing it from the case.

This receptacle is characterized in that it comprises a base member andat least two shell-like members pivotally mounted on said base memberabout horizontal axes and adapted to be either spread apart to permitthe introduction of an object therebetween in the downward direction, ormoved toward each other so as to form a single and same closed caseleaving only a narrow aperture at its top, through which the handle orstick of the object may project to the outside from the case thusconstituted, the passage of the shell-like members from the spreadposition to the closed position occurring through the pivotal movementsof these members which are caused by the weight of the object actingupon the lower portions of the shells, whilst the passage from theclosed position to the spread position takes place when the shells arepivoted outwards under the influence of the weight of the shellsthemselves, as the handle or stick of the enclosed object is pulledupwards thereby removing the weight of the object from the lowerportions of said shells.

Adequate stops may be provided on the base member restricting theaforesaid shell-opening movements.

Besides, the base member may have its lower face formed as a resilientsuction-grip element adapted to adhere to the floor.

The attached drawing forming part of this specification illustratesdiagrammatically by way of example two forms of embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawing:

The figure is a vertical axial section showing a first form ofembodiment of a receptacle according to this invention in its closedposition, the open position being shown in chain-dotted lines, and

The receptacle shown in the figure comprises essentially a base member 1having its central under face formed as a suction-grip element 2 adaptedto adhere to the floor under the influence of the atmospheric pressure.The upper portion 1a of the base member is cup shaped.

On this base member 1 are mounted two symmetrical horizontal pivot pins3 having hingedly mounted thereon a pair of shell-like members 4 of anysuitable material. Each shell 4 is formed at its upper end with asemi-circular notch 5. When the shells 4 are spread away from theirvertical or closed positions their lateral pivotal movements are limitedby the engagement of the outer lower faces of the shells 4 with thestop-forming circular upper edge 6 of the base member, as shown. Whenthe shells 4 are in their closed position as shown in thick lines in thedrawing, their longitudinal edges 7 engage substantially each other sothat the shells will constitute a substantially closed case, the onlyaperture consisting of the registering s States Patent ICC semi-circularnotches 5 formed in the upper edgesof the shells. This aperture isintended to allow therethrough the handle or stick 10 of the objectenclosed in the case, this object consisting in the example shown of adish-mop or small-broom 9.

The bulged shape of the shells 4' and the position of their horizontalpivot pins 3 are such that these shells 4 are constantly urged by theirweight towardtheir spread positions, in the direction of the arrows F.However, when the receptacle contains any object of the kind describedthe lower portion of this object bears upon the portions 8 of shells 4and the weight of the object will thus maintain the shells 4 in theirclosed positions.

When the handle or stick 10 of the object is pulled upwards, theportions 8 of shells 4are discharged from the weight of the object andtherefore the shells will rock outwards under the influence of their ownweight, thereby moving to their spread or open positions. In case thehandle 10.were pulled too suddenly so that the object will strike theinner upper face of the shells 4 before the latter are spread apart to asufiicient extent, the suction-grip portion 2 will keep the completedevice firmly attached to the floor, thereby preventing the receptaclefrom being lifted. Consequently, any too quick lifting of the objectwould merely lead to a quicker opening of the shells.

When no object is stowed in the receptacle, the shells 4 are spreadapart, as shown in chain-dotted lines in the figure. The object isreplaced into the receptacle by lowering it between the shells. Astheobject engages the lower portions S-of these shells, its weight bearsthereupon and causes the shells to pivot about their hinge pins 3. Thus,the shells are moved toward each other and close the case about theobject, the handle projecting upwards from the receptacle through theaperture formed by the pair of registering notches 5.

The base member 1, shells 4 and pivot pins 3 may be manufactured fromplastics so that the complete assembly can be readily cleaned by simplydipping it into an antiseptic solution, without any risk ofdeteriorating the device.

Of course, many modifications may be brought to the examples describedhereinabove with reference to the attached drawing, without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the pivot pins may bemounted on the base member on other places than those indicated in thedrawing. The positions of the stops limiting the outward movements ofthe shell-like members may also differ from those illustrated. Besides,the base member may be designed in view of securing it to a wall surfaceinstead of on the floor.

It is obvious that a receptacle according to this invention is alsoadapted for use both as a means for isolating from the surroundingatmosphere a soiled object such as a small broom or a dish-mop, and as ameans for protecting from the surrounding atmosphere a very clean andaseptized object, for example a surgical instrument or the like.

Again, a higher number of shells, for instance three, four or more, maybe pivotally mounted on pivot axes adequately distributed around thecentre of the base member so as to constitute in their closed positionsa single case when the object to be enclosed bears on the lower portionsof the shells.

What I claim as new is:

1. A receptacle device, comprising, in combination, a base member; andtwo wall members each mounted on said base member for pivotal movementabout a pivot axis between a closed position wherein each respectivewall member forms one-half of an upstanding substantially ellipsoidalreceiving chamber and an open position spaced from said closed position,said wall members in their respective closed positions forming saidupstanding substantially ellipsoidal receiving chamber, said wallmembers being formed in the region of their respective upper edgeportions with aligned notches so that when said wall members are intheir respective closed positions said notches together form an openingat the upper part of said upstanding substantially ellipsoidal receivingchamber for placing the interior thereof in communication with theexterior thereof, each of said wall members being shaped and mounted onsaid base member so that the center of gravity of each respective wallmember is in a position relative to each respective pivot axis in whicheach respective wall member is gravity-biased toward its open position,each of said wall members having a supporting portion adapted to supportapproximately one-half of the weight of an object located within saidreceiving chamber in such a manner that both of said wall members aremoved from their respective open positions to their respective closedpositions by that part of the weight of the object which each respectivesupporting portion supports when the object is located within saidreceiving chamber and is supported by both of said supporting portionsof said wall member.

2. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a base; a pair of parallel,spaced pivot pins carried by said base and extending in a substantiallyhorizontal direction when the base is placed on a horizontal supportingsurface; and a pair of hollow housing parts respectively carried by saidpivot pins for turning movement between a closed position where saidhollow housing parts are located next to each other with their hollowinteriors directed toward each other to form a substantially closedreceptacle and an open position where said housing parts are turned awayfrom each other and are located at a greater distance from each otherthan when said housing parts are in said closed position thereof, saidhousing parts in their closed position having upper edge portions formedwith aligned cutouts which together form an opening at the top of thereceptacle through which part of an article located within thereceptacle may extend, and said housing parts having in said closedposition thereof centers of gravity, respectively, which are locatedlaterally beyond the space located between said pivot pins and at ahigher elevation than said pivot pins, so that said housing parts arebiased by their own weight to turn from their closed to their openposition, said housing parts respectively having bottom wall portionsextending from said pivot pins toward each other, whereby when saidhousing parts are in their open position an article to be partly locatedwithin the receptacle may be placed on said wall portions to exert itsweight thereof for automatically turning said housing parts against theinfluence of their own weight from their open to their closed positionwhere a part of the article may extend through said upper opening formedby said aligned cutouts, and whereby when the article is removed fromthe receptacle said housing parts will automatically turn by their ownweight to their open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,275,549 Oshman Mar. 10, 1942 2,507,342 Licari May 9, 1950 2,600,345Venditti June 10, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,900 Great Britain Aug. 10,1939

